Are Annalynne McCord And Dominic Purcell Still Together?
This article contains mentions of child abuse and sexual assault.
"90210" alum Annalynne McCord has been very opened about her experiences of child abuse and sexual assault — and she's shed some new light on what really happened that awful night and how her on-again-off-again boyfriend Dominic Purcell healed her in ways she didn't think was possible.
"I was sexually assaulted when I was 19 by a 'friend' who was crashing at my home," the actor told Giddy's Bare in recent interview. "My whole body just froze and I shut down and I didn't know what to do." McCord said her coping mechanism was to throw herself into her work to "pretend like this is not happening." She explained, "90 hours a week working, getting on a red-eye, going to all these other gigs that I would have scheduled so I never had a moment of stillness so I never had to face my life." The experience caused her to feel "unsafe" and "completely numb."
But then along came a "very, very ferociously strong man" who "broke through that wall" to make her feel safe to trust again. Scroll ahead to learn more about how the "Prison Break" actor helped McCord overcome the trauma and whether they're still in each other's lives today.
Dominic Purcell will always be Annalynne McCord's person
AnnaLynne McCord and Dominic Purcell first started dating back in July 2011 but broke up in December 2014, per People. She later told the outlet she'd always love the actor and that they'll "always be in each other's lives." And a little over a year later, the couple rekindled their romance after Purcell was diagnosed with skin cancer. At the time, she said she was happy to have her "best friend" back and be there for him. "I came back into his life as his friend, and I took him to his doctor's appointments and I was there with him because whether or not he realized it, I love him," the "90210" star said on the "Allegedly" podcast, per People. "One of the things he said was, 'You really love me, don't you?' I was like, 'Oh my God. Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? After all this time, you still don't know that? I gave up all my 20s for you!'"
They split again January 2018 (per Yahoo!) and later sparked reconciliation rumors once again in September 2020 after they were photographed kissing on a beach. However, in her interview with Bare, she confirmed that while the two are not together anymore, he'll forever be "her person" and that they're like "family."
Dominic Purcell is the only man Annalynne McCord could trust
Annalynne McCord told Bare that before meeting Dominic Purcell, she was "going through severe panic attacks and started to undergo PTSD treatment" after her sexual assault, noting that she "couldn't feel anything."
But her romance with the actor changed everything for her. "A lot of times we attract what we are. And especially if you haven't realized your shadow, if you haven't realized what's underneath the surface, and I had realized absolutely f***ing nothing. So, he was a mirror back to me," McCord explained, adding that Purcell's own traumas — though they were "different versions of the same thing" she went through — helped the two connect and help each other through it.
"Dom created space for me but he called me the f*** out. He did not take bulls*** and that's why I trusted him," she continued. "I trusted no masculine energies, I trusted no men. Because I figured, 'I'm going to push every f***ing button that you have. And if you cave, I can't trust you.'" Clearly, Purcell was the one person McCord could trust — and even though they're not together anymore, it is clear they still care for each other and have a close bond.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit RAINN.org for additional resources.
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.